London to Dublin & Ireland . . .

Train operator in Ireland:

IR (Iarnrod Eireann).  For train times & fares in Ireland see www.irishrail.ie.

Train+ferry UK to Ireland:

www.sailrail.co.uk, to buy tickets call 08450 755755.

UK train times & fares:

www.nationalrail.co.uk (will also give train+ferry times & fares to Dublin)

Ferry operators to Ireland:

www.irishferries.com  www.stenaline.co.uk  www.swanseacorkferries.com

Time:

GMT (GMT+1 from last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October)

Currency:

£1 = approx 1.3 Euros.     Currency converter

Tourist information:

www.ireland.travel.ie.  Irish tourist board in UK: 020 7518 0800. 

Hotels in Ireland:

Accommodation in Dublin & Ireland     Book a Dublin city tour

Page last updated:

4 November 2008          Dublin map                  Recommended guidebooks

Buy a ticket to Dublin online... London or any station in Britain to or from Dublin, with a cheap combined train+ferry ticket...  London ► Dublin  £27 each way...  Manchester ► Dublin  £24 each way...  Oxford ► Dublin  £27 each way...  Birmingham ► Dublin  £25 each way...  Brighton ► Dublin  £27 each way...  Cambridge ► Dublin  £27 each way...  Any other stn ► Dublin  £27 or less...  By traditional, eco-friendly train+ferry.   Any day, any time, unlimited availability...

You can buy a combined train+ferry ticket

from London or any station in Britain to Dublin or any station in Ireland...

It's a well-kept secret...  You can buy a combined train+ferry ticket between any rail station in Britain and any rail station in Ireland at amazingly cheap prices, via any of the main ferry routes & ferry companies, one-way or return in either direction.  No stressful airports or flights, no cramped coach journeys on eyesore motorways, just a relaxing scenic ride through the countryside by train and across the Irish Sea by ferry.  This page explains train+ferry routes, timetables, fares and how to buy tickets.

The train+ferry tickets cover train travel to Holyhead (or Stranraer or Fishguard, choose the ferry route that suits your location best), the ferry to Ireland (Irish Ferries or Stena Line, choose which you want), then Irish Railways train travel to your Irish destination.  It's the traditional, civilised, time-honoured way to reach Ireland, the way everyone travelled for most of the 19th & 20th centuries.  It's far more eco-friendly than taking short-haul flights, which are now the fastest-growing contributor to global warming.  It's also cheaper, once you add baggage fees, airport taxes & the £13 train fare you'd have to pay from London to Luton or Stansted airports.  On the trains & ferries, children go for half fare and infants go free.  Bring a bottle of your favourite wine with you (try doing that on Ryanair), sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.

London-Dublin costs just £27 each way via Holyhead.  London to Galway, Cork, Limerick or Sligo costs £43 each way.  Oxford, Canterbury, Brighton, Norwich or Cambridge to Dublin costs £27 each way via Holyhead, and Leicester, Hereford, York, Plymouth or Leeds to Dublin costs £25.  Those are the regular fixed prices with (in effect) unlimited availability, even if you buy on the day of travel. 

On this page:

Train + ferry route map

Suggested train+ferry service from London to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Belfast.  Start here, as this section suggests the most convenient daytime train+ferry connection between these cities, with timetables, fares & an account of the journey.  It explains how to find train times & fares from other UK towns & cities as well as London, and to find train times & fares to other Irish destinations as well as the ones above.

London to Dublin by train+ferry, complete timetable.  If the suggested option doesn't suit you, this section shows all the train & ferry options between London & Dublin via both Irish Ferries & Stena Line, with fares & how to buy tickets.  Includes a time-effective overnight option.

London to Rosslare & Waterford:  Times, fares, how to buy tickets for journeys via Fishguard-Rosslare.

London to Cork via Holyhead, Fishguard or Swansea.

London to all other destinations in Ireland

Also on this page...

Train travel within Ireland

Day trips from Dublin by train & motorcoach

Short breaks to Ireland without flying

Read a review of rail+sea travel to Ireland at the Irish Sunday Tribune.

Train & ferry route map...

Sponsored links:

	Leave central London aboard Virgin Trains' 9.00am 'Irish Mail' to Holyhead...
	The train is modern and air-conditioned...
	...it passes right by Conway Castle...
	...and crosses the Menai Strait to Anglesey.
	At Holyhead, you board Stena Line's 3pm HSS fast ferry to Dun Laoghaire...
	...and relax on board in the spacious bars & lounges with a beer or a meal...
	...The Welsh coast disappears astern as the ferry heads for Ireland...
	At Dun Laoghaire, you hop on the DART train right into Dublin city centre, arriving around 6pm...

Let's keep things simple, and start by suggesting the most convenient daytime train+ferry service between London & Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway or Belfast, via the cheapest & most direct route.  If this timetable doesn't suit you, if you'd rather travel time-effectively overnight or if you'd prefer to use a conventional ship with Irish Ferries to Dublin Ferryport rather than Stena Line's HSS fast ferry to Dun Laoghaire, then by all means see the London-Dublin complete timetable section below, as all the other options are shown there.

London ► Dublin, Belfast, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork  (suggested option)

• Step 1:  Travel from London to Holyhead by train.  On Mondays-Fridays, a direct Virgin 'Pendolino' train leaves London Euston station at 09:00 for Holyhead in north Wales, arriving at 13:03.  The train is modern and air-conditioned, with refreshments available on board.  On Saturdays, depart London Euston at 08:03, change trains at Crewe, arriving Holyhead at 13:30.  On Sundays there's no connection early enough for this particular ferry, so see the complete timetable section below for alternatives.  Check train times for your date of travel using www.nationalrail.co.uk as times can vary, especially at weekends.

• If you're travelling from any other British town or city to Dublin, simply use www.nationalrail.co.uk to find train times to Holyhead, to arrive at any time before 14:20.  Use the route map above to check that the route via Holyhead is a sensible one for your starting point:  For example, Glasgow to Belfast would be better via Stranraer, Cardiff to Wexford is better via Fishguard!  However, the route via Holyhead is the best route from London, the southeast, the south, East Anglia and the Midlands to Dublin and most of Ireland, as it's the best-connected.

• For the best views between London & Holyhead, find a seat on the right-hand side of the train.  The train sweeps through the Buckinghamshire & Northamptonshire countryside, with frequent glimpses of narrow boats on the Grand Union Canal alongside the railway.  A couple of hours out of London, the train calls at the railway town of Crewe (look out for the railway museum on the right just after leaving) and later at the historic city of Chester - you'll see part of Chester's city walls on the right just after leaving.  The train then runs along the scenic north Wales coastline, often just a stone's throw from the sea.  Look out for the old ferry 'The Duke of Lancaster', originally moored as a floating nightclub and now just rusting gently.  After calling at Llandudno Junction, the train enters the pretty town of Conway and passes right under the towering walls of Conway's impressive castle.  After leaving Bangor, look through the trees on the right and you can catch a glimpse of Telford's suspension bridge carrying the old London-Holyhead coach road (now the A5) from the mainland onto the Isle of Anglesey, and shortly afterwards your train crosses to Anglesey over the equally historic Britannia Bridge, built by Robert Stephenson in 1850.  Originally just a rail bridge, it was rebuilt after a fire in 1970 and now carries a road above the railway.  As the train crosses the bridge, you'll see Telford's beautiful suspension bridge a little way along the river to your right.  You're now on Anglesey, and your train swishes non-stop through a little local station with the longest name in Britain, a visitor attraction in its own right - it's called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, in case you were wondering!  Finally, you'll see the mountains of Snowdonia in the distance to your left before arriving in the port of Holyhead, the traditional embarkation point for Ireland.

• In Holyhead, the ferry terminal for both Stena Line and Irish Ferries is right next to the station at the end of platform 2.  So you walk straight off the train and into the terminal to check in for the ferry.  After getting your boarding pass, there's a brief and painless X-ray security check, and you then check in your bags so you don't have to carry them round with you on the ferry.  Then you take the escalator or lift up to the departure lounge and walk straight on to the Stena Line ferry when it's ready for boarding.  Irish Ferries also sail from Holyhead, but Irish Ferries passengers are taken out to the ferry on a free shuttle bus after checking in, as their ships berth a little way from the terminal.  This recommended option uses Stena Line.  There's a 30 minute check-in for all ferries, so feel free to wander across the stainless-steel footbridge into Holyhead's pleasant town centre (5 min walk from the station & ferry terminal) if you've time to spare.

• Step 2:  Sail from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire by Stena Line fast ferry, leaving Holyhead at 15:00 daily and arriving at Dun Laoghaire at 16:59.  Stena Line's HSS (High Speed Ship) is a giant 20,000 ton twin-hull fast ferry, capable of 40 knots (about 46mph).  It has bars, cafes, spacious lounges, a restaurant, fast food outlets & a shop.  The Stena Plus lounge with complimentary tea and coffee is available for a surcharge.  There are two small caged-in viewing platforms at the rear for some fresh sea air.  You'll sea the town of Holyhead give way to rocky Welsh coastline which then disappears astern as the ferry speeds towards Ireland.  Less than 2 hours later you enter the wide Bay of Dublin and approach the church spires and yacht-filled harbour of Dun Laoghaire, with the dark purple Wicklow Hills in the distance behind the town.  This is the best way to see Ireland for the first time, not the inside of an airport!

• Step 3:  Take a train from Dun Laoghaire into Dublin city centre.  Retrieve your bags from the carousel and walk out of the ferry terminal.  The DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) railway station is straight ahead of you, just across the road.  DART suburban trains to Dublin run every few minutes and the journey takes 25 minutes.  It's a short but remarkably scenic trip, as the DART runs right along the sea wall, with great views of Howth across Dublin Bay.  Dublin Connolly is the main Dublin station on this route, but feel free to alight at Tara Street or Dublin Pearse if these are closer to your hotel.  You should be in central Dublin by around 18:10, after a painless and scenic trip from central London.  Three countries in one day, England, Wales & Ireland!

• Step 4:  If you're going beyond Dublin, take an Irish intercity train to Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway:  

  For Belfast, take the daily 19:00 'Enterprise' express from Dublin Connolly arriving at Belfast Central at 21:10.

  For Sligo, take the daily 19:05 intercity train from Dublin Connolly arriving Sligo at 22:08.

  If you're travelling to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Killarney or Tralee, you need to transfer from Dublin Connolly station where DART arrives to Dublin's Heuston station where the trains for western & southern Ireland depart.  The Dublin tram (the LUAS, www.luas.ie) links these two stations every 5-10 minutes, the fare is 1.50 euros (not included in through tickets) and it takes 15 minutes.  Alternatively, bus 90 links Connolly & Heuston stations, and is included in through tickets.  You should allow at least 40 minutes for interchange in Dublin between stations by bus or tram.

  For Cork, a train leaves Heuston station daily at 19:00 arriving Cork at 21:55.

  For Limerick, a train leaves Heuston station on Mondays-Saturdays at 20:00, change at Limerick Junction, arriving Limerick at 22:16.  On Sundays, leave Heuston at 19:10, change at Limerick Junction and arrive Limerick at 21:26.

  For Galway, a train leaves Heuston station on Mondays-Saturdays at 19:15 arriving Galway at 21:55.  On Sundays, leave Heuston at 18:50 arriving Galway at 21:34.

  For any other destination in Ireland, simply use the journey planner at www.irishrail.ie to check train times from Dublin.  Make sure you allow enough time to interchange in Dublin.  If it's not possible to complete your journey the same day (for example, the last train to Tralee leaves Dublin before you get there), you can stay in Dublin overnight and take a train next day.

Dublin, Belfast, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork ► London  (suggested option)

• Step 0:  Take an Irish Railways intercity train to Dublin: 

From Belfast, leave Belfast Central on Mondays-Saturdays at 06:50 arriving at Dublin's Connolly station at 09:05.  There's no connection from Belfast on Sundays, so travel the night before. 

From Sligo, take the 05:45 on Mondays-Fridays arriving 08:47.  No same-day connection is possible at weekends. 

From Cork, leave Cork on Mondays-Saturdays at 06:30 arriving in Dublin's Heuston station at 09:15.  There's no connection from Cork on Sundays, so travel the night before.

From Limerick, leave Limerick on Mondays-Saturdays at 06:35 arriving in Dublin's Heuston station at 09:05.  No connection from Limerick on Sundays, travel the night before.

From Galway, leave Galway on Mondays-Saturdays at 07:15 arriving in Dublin's Heuston station at 09:45.  No connection from Galway on Sundays, travel the night before.

From any other Irish town or city, use the journey planner at www.irishrail.ie to find suitable train times to Dublin.  Remember to allow enough time in Dublin to interchange, even if the train arrives a bit late.

If your train arrives at Heuston station, take the LUAS tram to Connolly station, this runs every 5-10 minutes and takes 15 minutes, fare 1.50 euros (not included in through tickets).  The tram leaves from right outside the front of the station.  Alternatively, take bus 90. 

• Step 1:  Travel from Dublin city centre to Dun Laoghaire by train, leaving Dublin Connolly on a DART suburban train at 10:04 and arriving Dun Laoghaire at 10:28.  DART trains to Dun Laoghaire normally leave from platform 6, but occasionally platform 5.  There are alternative DART trains at 09:44 or 10:08.  The train will be shown on the DART departure screens as going to Bray.  Enjoy the scenic journey along the sea wall with great views of Dublin Bay.  In Dun Laoghaire, follow the 'way out' signs up onto the footbridge, turn left and down the escalators.  The ferry terminal is just across the road outside the station.

• Step 2:  Sail from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead by Stena Line HSS fast ferry, leaving Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal at 11:30 and arriving in Holyhead at 13:29.  There's a 30 minute check-in.  Bars, cafes, spacious lounges, a restaurant, fast food outlets and a shop are available on board.  On arrival at Holyhead you walk straight off the ferry into the ferry terminal and directly onto the railway station.

• Step 3:  Travel from Holyhead to London by train.  On Mondays to Saturdays a direct Virgin Trains 'Pendolino' leaves Holyhead at 14:14 arriving London Euston station at 18:20.  On Sundays, a direct train leaves Holyhead at 15:50 arriving London Euston at 20:25.  Train times can vary at weekends due to engineering work, so always check them for your date of travel using www.nationalrail.co.uk.  It's a scenic trip along the north Wales coast, see the London-Dublin section above for an account of this journey.

• If you're travelling to any other UK town or city, use www.nationalrail.co.uk to find train times leaving Holyhead any time after 14:10.

  Buy a ticket to Dublin online... London or any railway station in Britain to or from Dublin, with a cheap combined train+ferry ticket... London to Dublin from £27 each way... Norwich to Dublin from £27 each way... Oxford to Dublin from £27 each way... Manchester to Dublin from £24 each way... Canterbury to Dublin from £27 each way... Just enter 'London' or your local station and then either: 'Dun Laoghaire' for Dublin via Stena Line or 'Dublin Ferryport' for Dublin via Irish Ferries.   A small (£1.50-£2.61) booking fee applies.  As yet this system can't book tickets beyond Dun Laoghaire or Dublin Ferryport.  Tickets can be sent to any UK address or collected at main British stations (useful for travel at short notice or if booking from outside the UK). Tickets cannot be collected in Ireland. Note:  Don't worry that this system books you on the 09:46 from London with 2 changes, just book this, but travel on the direct 09:00 to Holyhead, the ticket is valid on any train. Online problem at the moment... pls book by phone This system can book you via both the Ulysses and the Swift to Dublin Ferryport (Irish Ferries) and the HSS to Dun Laoghaire (Stena Line) but it won't say which ferry is which. If the Holyhead-Dublin crossing takes 3+ hours, it's the Ulysses, if it takes 2 hours it's the Swift, if it goes to Dun Laoghaire rather than Dublin Ferryport it's the HSS! CO2 offsetting:  RailEasy will offset the CO2 emissions from each train journey they sell via UK offsetting agency The Carbon Company.  More information If you have any problems, simply book by phone.

Fares...

• London to Dun Laoghaire costs £27 each way, children under 16 £13.50, children under 5 free.  These fares don't change, they are what you pay even on the day of travel.  A £2 higher fare may apply at certain peak times.  Bought in Dublin, Dublin to London costs 44 euros.

• London to Dublin city centre (including DART) costs £28 each way, children under 16 £14, children under 5 free.

• London to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Tralee, Killarney costs £43 each way, children under 16 £21.50, children under 5 free.

• London to Belfast costs £36.20 each way, children under 16 £18.10, children under 5 free.

• The fare from any railway station in Britain is the same as the fare from London, and in some cases a pound or two less.

• You can check the train+ferry fare between any British station and any Irish station at www.sailrail.co.uk (select 'via Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire' to see fares via this ferry route).

• Stop-overs are not allowed in either direction, you must complete your journey to Ireland in one go.  As they are so cheap anyway, there's no additional discount for young person's or senior railcard holders.

How to buy tickets...

• Buy tickets in person:  You can buy these train+ferry tickets at most main British railway stations, even on the day of travel.  This includes London Euston.  But allow plenty of time to buy your ticket, and be aware that small stations (ones without the capability to do seat reservations) may not sell these tickets.  It's better to buy tickets a day or two before if you can.  To buy tickets via this route, ask for tickets via 'Stena Line HSS Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire'.

• Buy tickets online:  You can buy tickets online from any station in Britain to Dun Laoghaire using the RailEasy booking form on the right.  A small booking fee (£1.50-£2.61) is charged.  You can't currently buy tickets beyond Dun Laoghaire online, but you can easily pay for the DART into Dublin city centre separately, when you get to Dun Laoghaire (it's 2.50 euros each way).  At present, RailEasy can't book through to other Irish destinations.  Tickets can be sent to any UK address or can be collected from the self-service machines at all major British stations including London Euston, useful if you're booking from outside the UK or travelling at short notice.  Note that tickets booked with RailEasy cannot be collected in Ireland, even though it can sell one-way inbound Dun Laoghaire-London tickets.

• Buy tickets by phone:  You can buy tickets by phone from the SailRail booking line, 08450 755 755 (UK callers only).  Lines are open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 0900-1700 Saturdays & Sundays.  If you're outside the UK, call Virgin Trains telesales on +44 870 9080 107.  To buy tickets via this route, ask for tickets via 'Stena Line HSS Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire'.

How to buy tickets if you're in Ireland:

• From Dublin to London, the one-way train+ferry fare is 44 euros, see the rail+sail brochure on the Irish Ferries website.

• In person: You can buy tickets at Irish Rail's travel centre at 35 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1.

• By phone:  by calling Irish Railways on (01) 703 1884 or Irish Ferries on 0818 300 400. 

• By e-mail:  to Irish Rail via europeanrail@irishrail.ie.

FAQ...

• Can I stop off on the way?  No.  These cheap and flexible Britain-Ireland fares are actually cheaper than the normal domestic fares between London and (for example) Chester or Holyhead, so you cannot break your journey, only travel straight through to or from Ireland.  Though that doesn't mean you can't wander round Holyhead town centre whilst waiting for your ferry!  Of course, if you really want to stop off, nothing stops you buying separate tickets, for example a normal ticket (say) London-Chester, then a Chester-Ireland train+ferry ticket, but this costs a lot more than a London-Ireland through ticket.

• Are there any baggage limits or baggage fees?  Do I check my bags in?  There are no baggage weight limits or baggage fees to worry about.  You simply take your bags with you on the train, placing them on the luggage racks above your head or at the end of the coach.  You check bags in at the ferry terminal so you're free to use the ferry's facilities without being encumbered with luggage, then you collect your bags again from the carousel at the ferry terminal on the other side.

• Can I take my bike?  Yes.  Bicycles go for £5 each way on both Irish Ferries & Stena Line, no reservation required, you simply pay at the ferry terminal when you check in for the ferry.  Bikes are carried on trains to Holyhead, but reservations are required and a small fee (£3-£5) is payable per journey.

• Can I take my dog or cat?  Dogs no, as neither Irish Ferries nor Stena Line allow foot passengers to take dogs (except guide dogs).  But Irish Ferries will now allow foot passengers to take cats if they're in a container.  The cats must travel in their container on the car deck or in the kennel area, see www.irishferries.ie.